


A Yellow Horse

by a_pirate_on_the_left



Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Elsa and Hans parallels, F/M, Southern Isles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-25
Updated: 2017-03-17
Packaged: 2018-05-16 04:48:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5814865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_pirate_on_the_left/pseuds/a_pirate_on_the_left
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Hans is sent back to the Southern Isles, Sitron is left in Arendelle, he won't be lonely for long as Elsa finds in him a gentle friend.<br/>(plus Sitron's flashback are my headcanons for Hans' childhood)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The scent of magic

**Author's Note:**

> My first fanfiction in english ever.  
> Please forgive my grammar mistakes and you're invited to tell me if I write some terrible errors.  
> (seriusly, I really need to know if I'm writing or just putting nonsense words one next to the other)
> 
> Well, hope you might enjoy it..  
> I'm looking forward to hear your opinion.  
> Ciaooo!
> 
> (ps I'm very lazy, sorry if I don't give everyone a name or a line to Olaf)

 

 

A month had passed since the Great Thaw and Elsa and her sister spent hours together making for the time they had lost.

They skated, and fought endless battle in the snow, but more than anything they laughed.

Everyday brought a new and more exciting adventure as Elsa discovered how easily she could learn new things about the world outside her room.

 

Till one day Anna proposed a ride.

 

Elsa trusted her people completely, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf more than anyone, but when it was about to put her life in the hands.. hoofs of a horse the topic was different.

 

She knew that animals could sniff something different in her, something that was impossible for humans to recognize the: scent of magic.

 

Of course not all of them were uneasy with her, while smaller beasts like dogs, cats and even wolves didn't seem to bother, equines had a very particular way to show her how badly she smelled.

The noise of the stables made entirely of joyful and impatient neighs quieted immediately when the scent of magic reached their nostrils.

 

"Are you sure?" Elsa asked a bit concerned.

 

"Of course! It will be fine! I promise. They just need to get used to you, we'll find the kindest, gentlest horse for you, even if we'll have to look for it in the whole kingdom. Then if you're not sure about it, ..well I've heard that reindeers are more reliable."

 

They laughed as Anna's confidence ended up to erase every objection Elsa might have had.

 

 

It was a bright and warm morning, perfect for a ride in the green hills that surrounded Arendelle.

 

Kjekk, was a beautiful, white stallion; Anna rode on him since she was a teen.

She used to ride with their mother.

When Elsa was younger, she observed the court from her window waiting to see her sister and her mother leaving with a bag of cookies as their only supply for the long day ahead.

 

Back in those days she would have died to join them, but now at barely three feet of distance from a horse that refused to move any closer to her, she realized that there were things she could have never had, no matter how much she desired them.

 

Anna was gently cuddling Kjekk muzzle as she tried to make him look at her sister, since he hid his face under his shoulder.

 

"Anna, it doesn't matter. Really." Elsa said with a smile.

 

“It does, you’ll be great friends once you’ve learnt to know each other, but I guess he’s just shy”

 _Please don’t be sad_ , Anna thought , nothing hurt her more than knowing Elsa was sad.

 

“These horses … Kristoff’s right, you never know what’s in their mind, they’re surely not clever as reindeers; and here’s the proof! I bet Kjekk just wanted sugar lumps from me!  They’re not even healthy,” she added dramatically  

 “Sven eats carrots of course he’s much more clever; all that sugar must had a terrible consequences on horses’ little brain…  Pffff you know what? They all are LUMP! What do they need sugar for?” She ended.

 

_Please smile, a true smile this time. Please._

As the thoughts crossed Anna’s minds Elsa’s face relaxed and the coroners of her mouth took a genuine turn up.

 

Anna grabbed than her sister arm and started to run.

 

“Ice! Ice! Ice!” Anna laughed at her sister, with ice under their feet they would have transformed that run in an amazing slide.

The ice spread from Elsa all over the stoned floor as they slid outside the gate only to fall in a mountain of snow.

 

They run and finally found Kristoff and Sven in the gardens.  


“Kristoff!” Anna shouted as the blond young man turned to see the two sisters running towards him.

 

“WHOAA! What’s going on?” He asked, not at all worried with their rush, since he noticed the two sisters were laughing.

 

“We wanted to take a ride but ..you know horses are so annoying. So we hoped to take Sven instead.” Anna explained cheerfully. Kristoff nodded but with a disappointed expression added “Why would anyone take a RIDE when I have such _marvelous_ SLED?”

He smiled widely at the two young girls when they started to laugh.  
  
They spent a beautiful, happy day together as Kristoff arranged the sled fast and took them on the white (thanks to Elsa) hills behind the kingdom.

 

“You really like to go fast!” Elsa dismissed  gleefully at their arrival in Arendelle, taking Olaf hand in hers,  leaving Anna and Kristoff alone for their “secret” goodbye kiss.

 _We had fun, but this isn’t what she expected_ , the thought of her utter impossibility of riding horses, somehow, didn’t give her any peace of  mind.

 _What if I might need a horse for whatever reason one day? Should I build one made of snow?_  She imagined how beautiful such an animal could be, all white and shining, with heels made of ice and deep blue eyes; still she couldn’t accept the fact that she was giving up.  
_I’ll ride a horse one day. And I’ll make Anna a surprise._

 

 

No more than a week passed and she had the perfect chance to train without Anna knowing about it. Elsa wasn’t just planning a surprise, she knew that if Anna was aware of her trying and failing she would be more sorry than her.

The opportunity presented when Anna asked her the permission to go with Kristoff in a week-long expedition on the mountains.

“Nothing  dangerous” Anna assured her.  “It’s a complete climbing/survival lesson, but there won’t be anything to survive since we’re just, you know ..hanging around. Oh well.. Except for wolves but I learnt how to deal with ‘em too!”

Elsa gave her permission, she knew that with Olaf with them, them both would had kept their hands at their place; and saluted her sister and the silly snowman at the castle’s gates the next morning.

 

In an hour time Elsa was already aiming to the royal stables.

 

The royal master of horse greeted her with a big smile.

“What can I do for you today Your Majesty?”

 

“I was thinking about a gentle, reliable horse, with whom, and your help of course, I could learn to ride” the young queen answered gently but well sure of her goals.

The old man was more surprised than she expected as his smile grew even wider, he was honored to have the chance to teach to his ravishing and kind queen.

 

“Only the best for you your Majesty. I have the right horse in mind.” He enunciated opening the doors of the barn.

“Call me Elsa” she proposed, but as she stepped inside the corridor covered in hay every sound that was heard from outside ceased.

“This will probably harder than you expected, I’m sorry” she tried to explain.

“Don’t worry, Queen Elsa, horses are great, loud beasts once they’ll get to know you. I had problem with them as well when I began to work here more than 30 years ago. I have the right horse for you.”

And he gently showed her the path to one of the box at the end of the room.

As they, she, passed in front of the boxes the horses stepped back. When they finally arrived it seemed to Elsa to had walk for miles and miles.

“Many would say he’s old, but he’s still strong and experienced. Which is one of the most important thing, surely more than the speed or the size.” He said introducing the dark brown stallion in the box, the horse didn’t move or hid his head.

 

 _It’s a good start._ Elsa thought smiling.

When the old man open the box and they both walked closer the horse jumped and fought back at the man that tried to calm him down. Elsa run outside the box, and sit at the end of the corridor few steps from where she was a moment before, but still very far with her mind.  She was scared, no ice thankfully spread, but  the sudden burst of the horse was unpredictable; after the first seconds of confusion she realized she was disappointed.  
  
_I can’t give up now. No I can do this, it can’t be worst than anything I’ve already done._  
  
“I’m so sorry, Queen Elsa. He’s usually really calm. I don’t know what happened” The horse master seemed very sad about what happened as he offered her his hand helping her to stand again.

The silence was heavy, the old man was so sorry he couldn’t look her in the eyes, she on the other hand  was at the same time upset with the horses and herself, she hesitated to speak since she didn’t mean to be rude.  
Everything stood still for a time that seemed like eternity.  
Then as impossible and surprising as it seemed to her in the first place the chestnut horse in the last box, the one she sit against a moment before, was loudly but gently neighing at her, it seemed to her the horse was calling for her attentions.  
 Without any good and logic reason Elsa moved her hand towards the stallion who gently moved his head in her direction allowing the queen to cuddle his muzzle.

 _What am I doing? What the hell dose this means?_ Elsa thought stunned.

“I want this one. Now.” Elsa said resolute. _Before this one changes his mind too._

“This one?” the horse master asked but his queen’s face more eloquent than her orders, the woman was looking straight in the eyes of the horse who didn’t looked at all afraid.

“Of course your Majesty” and he began to open the box; the saddle he was carrying ready to be put on the young stallion.

“Isn’t he a bit _thin?”_ Elsa didn’t know much about horses but this one looked a bit flimsy.  
  
“He doesn’t eat much, I’m afraid, but he’s young”

“And surprisingly intrepid” Elsa supposed trying to convince herself more than the old man at her side.

As the horse whinnied at her again she smiled and hid a lovely laugh behind her hand.

“What’s his name?” she asked.

“Well.. your Majesty… he’s _new_ in our stables, I believe you can name him as you like” the man was genuine he didn’t know the horse’s name, but he was too embarrassed to explain his queen where he came from.

The old man brought Elsa and her new stallion in the stable courtyard; she was still amazed how easily the stallion followed all the instructions and how often he turned back to whinnying at her face. The  beast was gentle and loud, his white and black mane were glossy in the sunlight.

 _I still don’t know how to name him._  
“So what’s your name?” she whispered at the horse, with a wide smile on her face she waited for him to answer, she laughed when he waved around his head pointing to his legs and then to his back.

“Fine, I have to figure that out on my own: anyway I’m Elsa, very pleased to meet you.”

She bowed a little, just a joke she thought, the queen’s new acquaintances needed a formal introduction; but the moment the stallion bowed and neighing at her, she was more confused than ever.


	2. Sunny Spot

There she stood, right in front of him. That strange smell of something as foreign as the stars heralded her presence.  
_That woman_ he thought, _she must know something_ of that Sitron was more than certain.

 After all she was the last person he saw with his master.

 

  
Her scent was stronger the first time Sitron saw her; Hans was carrying her in his arms and he looked so worried.  
“Come here Sitron” he called gently; but the horse stood still.

“Come on. I need you not to be scared. She’s fine.” Hans never lied to him and they knew each other their whole life. Sitron trusted Hans completely.  
The chestnut stallion moved forward and sniffed the blond woman in the arms of his friend. The woman was wrapped in a brown blanket; Sitron didn’t see any chains but still he heard a metallic sound.  
 She was the source of that strange smell that give Sitron shivers down his spine.

“Good boy. You’re very brave” the ginger smiled sadly.

“Now help me” the man moved to his side, Sitron kneeled and  few moments later they were riding back to Arendelle.

The others, riders and horses kept a far distance.

 _“What’s going on?”_ Sitron asked, of course people never understood him, but somehow Hans could always figure out all his worries.

“I know” he answered “It’s more complicated than I thought, but things could have been worst.” He sighed  
“Those people are so stupid! What did they expect?! That she wouldn’t fought back? Idiots!” He finally let out.

 _“But we’re going to ok? Aren’t we?”_ Sitron neighed nervous.  
“You’re right. We’re used to idiots.” And Sitron could hear a small chuckle in his answer.  
He remained silent for a good part of the way back, then Sitron saw Arendelle in the distance, he already missed those warm stables and fastened his pace.

“Slow down” Hans hold the reins. “We have a guest” he reminded him.

 _“How could I forget?! She’s freezing my back! And she’s strange! I don’t trust her”_ he whickered annoyed and shook his back to express better his feelings.

“Stop it!” Hans ordered. Rarely Sitron heard such tone in his voice, a bit worried he took his normal pace.

“It’s going to be alright. We’re almost there. But please stop those whims now! It’s the last thing I need now!”  
Sitron neighed irritated _“Always your way!”._  
They both stayed silent till they arrived at the warm stables. Everything was so mysterious for him.  
“ _The yesterday was summer, now it’s winter. Who the hell is this woman? Surely she’s not the one we met yesterday. Why there are monsters here? I hope you’re going to explain me NOW.”_   The stallion neighed asking for answers.  
 Hans ignored him, pull the bridles, but Sitron was already still, and jumped down the horse’s back easily, even with _that_ woman in his arms. _He’s more worried about her than me_.

Then he noticed how tense the moment was; they were surrounded by guard but no one came closer to help him, they all just watched silently.

“Your Highness!” one said finally when Hans was already on his way back to the castle. “What now?”  
The men they rode with arrived in that moment, all frowned and irritated.

“The dungeons” Hans answered firmly, almost ceremoniously; “Someone show me the way!”

 

His friend looked at him one last time, no expression on his face, before disappearing inside a dark corridor.  
That was the last time Sitron saw Hans.

 

 

 

There had been a cold storm and then again, summer. Hans never came back. The first few days Sitron thought it was normal. After a week he was terribly concerned. Hans never left him for such long time without telling him first.  
Something happened to him. The stallion tried and tried to ask, but no one answered him. He even successes in escaping once but found no hint about Hans absence before being brought back to the stables.

An horrible thought then crossed his mind _He abandoned me_. _No! it can’t be he knew I wasn’t really angry at him. I let him down on our way here. He doesn’t care about me anymore._

He ate just enough to survive, too sad to be hungry; the only thing he could do was waiting his best friend come back.  
  
The stables went silent on a beautiful sunny morning and he sensed the scent of he ended up define as  _magical-snow_ , he stood silent, he didn’t care, if Hans were with her he would have smelled him.  
Sitron waited, _what do I do? She’s dangerous._ But the moment the blonde woman appeared right in front of him, hiding her frown behind a kind smile, she seemed so harmless, even gentle _maybe._  
She must know what happened. Pushing back all his fears Sitron finally asked her where Hans was.  
She seemed very confused, _Does she see me at all?_ Sitron thought,  and to prove her he was real he moved his head towards her.  
_At least she’s not ignoring me._

 _“Where is Hans?”_  The stallion asked again; she just smiled and ordered the horse master to prepare him for a ride.  
He ignored the comments about his weight and allowed them to take him on the courtyard: Hans was the last and the only one that rode on him, still he enjoyed the sun on his skin the caresses he didn’t received in a too long time.  


“What’s your name?” The woman asked.

 _“Well “Sitron” was actually a color”_ but she didn’t understood, so he moved his head and pointed at his own body.

 _“You see I grow darker aging”_  
She again looked clueless, but if she chose him it was because she _knew_ he was Hans’ horse and she was taking him to his master.

When she introduced herself he discovered she was a Queen. _I should have known, Hans doesn’t give rides randomly, she had to be important._

He bowed respectfully.

 

“Oh well.. You’re really well-bred” the queen told him gently and he nodded flattered, he was  after all: “A prince horse” Hans once told him with a proud smile, “as that you have to know how to act properly in front of royals”.  


“Ok can I mount now?” Elsa enquired nervous the horse might change his mind at any moment.

The horse master was at her side holding Sitron’s bridles firmly, but instead of retreating the stallion allowed the queen to sit on his back eagerly.

 _Oh it’s..it’s tall. It’s different from anything else_ , Elsa thought the moment the horse moved forward.

 

 _“Ok there you are. Now, shall we go to find Hans?”_  
The neighed seem so happy to Elsa’s ears she believed she imagined it, was that possible? A horse was glad to have her around. This was a test for her, she assumed that if animals were terrified of her that was the sign she was unfitting and amiss in her own kingdom, that she should belong in her ice palace, or again alone in her room with the fewest people around her.

 _Ok calm down._ The most wonderful smile was now painted in her face. _I still don’t know what to do._  
As the old man started to describe her reins, how to pull and how to stop, Sitron was impatient, then finally he got his bridles back..

 _“Wait. What?!”_  Confused at the man who was still holding his reins and instructing him to _“riding in circle in the courtyard my hoofs!!”_ _  
_ And he rushed towards the open gates, running out the stables, he heard the queen gasping in fear and holding tightly at his neck.  _“Slow down. We have a guest”_  Sitron suddenly remembered and slowed his pace immediately.

 _Am I insane? What was I thinking he hates me I’m going to kill myself._ Horror-stuck ice found his way from her fingers to the horse skin.   

As she opened her ice Elsa found the horse motionless, almost completely covered in thick ice.

_What have I done?_

She was upset, and so shocked she would have started crying if the horse didn’t turn his head and started to neighing at her impatiently.

_“IT’ COOLD! Come on! Not now. We need to find Hans now!”_

“I’m sorry” she answered in a whisper and melted the ice with a small movement of her wrist.

“But you started to run, I was so scared. Please don’t do this again”

The stallion nodded and walked towards a sunny spot in the street.

People, her people waived at her, greeted and made compliments; they didn’t know she had no idea where she was going.


	3. First Impressions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok very short chapter (is it so bad) you'll forgive me this time
> 
> PS: last time I was in a dash and I forgot to point out that Sitron's lines are in Italic just not to be confused with actual people talking.
> 
> Hope you enjoy, thanks to everyone that reads.  
> Ciao!!  
> PPS:next chapter much more Elsa

Of strange things Sitron saw plenty, or he thought till that morning, it wasn’t enough meeting living snow, or a day-lasting winter, to which he blamed Arendelle weather, now he got covered in ice because that woman touched him.  
He finally could explain himself what happened and what was going on: _That’s what makes her so different, and gives her treacherous smell: magic! Of course if only Hans explained me a bit earlier I wouldn’t ended up frozen._

Finally she freed  him from that icy blanket and a bit chilly he found a sunny spot in the street.

“ _Anyway I already stopped when you froze me”_ he pointed out.

“Again: I’m sorry. Do you still want me to ride you?”

 _“You’re not exactly my usual partner but until we find him you’ll be fine”_ Sitron explained, nonetheless she looked perplexed  and to make it as clear as he could he simply nodded.

She was nice behind the fact she covered him in ice, caressing his neck and asking him constantly if he was still cold.  
First impressions, he knew for experience, were almost never close to what one really is.

 

A strange mutter sounded outside his box that afternoon, he actually suspected something was going to happen since he got moved there a couple of days before.

“Keep your eyes closed” A man said but at the time he was too short to see him.

“Lars please. You know I don’t like surprises” Another voice asked worried. “Please just tell me where we are”

“It’s not a joke, I promise” The first one answered in a comforting tone.

“You know, I don’t believe in promises, Lars seriously I’m leaving” but it sounded more like a plea than a statement.

“Fine. Take off that damn blindfold, but don’t tell me I ruined the surprise” chuckled the first.

“Ooh, we’re in the stables, that’s where that smell came from. Yess… What do we do here? It’s not a joke. Is it?”

“No, don’t worry.” And as the second stranger sounded concerned the first sounded happy. “Come here” he called again. The foal heard steps coming towards him.

“Ok but you go first”

“Fine.” A couple of seconds passed and a hand moved to the door of the young horse box. “Ready?”

“Lars please...not you too” The hand left its hold as the foal heard steps moving away from his box.

“Hans! Wait! It’s a horse. It’s for you.”

“What?”

“It was a surprise. I’m sorry” The hand came back and opened the box, the young horse could finally see who made all that noise: two men, both redheaded yet one was much older that the other.

“It’s for you. I didn’t mean to alarm you” explained the older one, the first voice.

“For me?” asked the youngest, disbelief in his voice.

“Yep”

“Really? A horse? For ME?!”

“Yes Hans, this horse is yours” was the satisfied reply as the young one smiled and laughed and run to hug his neck. They had the same height the foal realized in that moment.

“Are you sure? Mine?”

“Yes”

“So, this is .. MY horse?” excitement growing in the boy’s voice.

“All yours!” again reassured the eldest  “What do you think?”

“It’s..It’s PERFECT!” laughed again the boy at the horse cheerful neighs.

The young stallion was glad as well, he saw older, bigger horses riding before and dreamed of being one of them; he rubbed his muzzle against the boy’s head and enjoyed all his caresses too; but as the minutes passed he could feel the joyful cuddles losing their enthusiasm and care till the boy’s face grew darker showing concern and sorrow before turning to look at the other man with an annoyed expression.

“I don’t want it!” He finally announced.

“What?” The man asked “You like him, you just said that. I don’t understand”

“Everyone got a horse at 12; I’m 15 and I get a skinny pony” the boy answered bitterly.

 “Hans, I.. well, this or nothing. You liked him” the man looked so sad at the boy’s words he run out of words himself.

The youngest started then to walk away saying nothing to explain his rude behavior, so that Lars had to hold his arm to stop him.

“I need you to explain me what’s going on Hans. Now.”

“He’s small and fragile, not to talk about I’ll have to wait at least an year to ride him” Hans replied flatly.

“Then you’ll wait, and in the meanwhile you’ll train him yourself” the man resolved calmly.

“No Lars. I’m not going to do anything like that” and strongly pulled his arm out of his brother’s grasp just to be held again this time more firmly.

“What’s wrong?” tried again Lars exchanging the concerned tone with a more resolute one.

“..he’s yellow” was the weak response. The boy’s cold manners started to crack as he sounded deeply hurt. His brother burning gaze on him. “..Lars, you really don’t understand?”

“I’m sorry, no.. Please tell me” The older brother sweetly said.

It took Hans some time before finally being able to watch his brother in the eyes and tell him the truth:

“If the horse it’s mine… They’re going to hurt him” Hans finished pressing his lips. The painful realization darkened even the man’s expression.

“I promise you.. I swear, no one will EVER touch or get even close to your horse, Hans.” 

“but..”

“On my honor.” Lars swore again, and finally he got the satisfaction to see one of those rare smiles on his younger brother’s lips.

“Come on, go introduce yourself, the horse doesn’t have a name yet, you’ll have to think about something” and the boy run back to the foal side.

 _“It’s not that you’re so nice you know?!”_  neighed the young stallion annoyed by the boy behavior.

“I know, I’m sorry” replied the boy as if he understood. “I’m Hans, can you forgive me? I won’t offend you ever again” he continued kindly.

_“Since I’m apparently doomed with you I’ll give you a second chance”_

Hans hugged his neck again; somehow the horse knew he understood him.

“Okay, now your name.. you’re yellow so..”

“You’re not going to call him _Yellow_ or worse: _Lemon_ ” interrupted the man “he’ll become brown aging”

“Oh, well that’s a pity, Lemon fitted him perfectly” laughed the boy.  “Actually, I’m serious, but maybe Lemon is to obvious”  after moments of concentration the boy laughed again satisfied “I know!” he screamed and then turned to _his_ horse “What do you think about Sitron?”

“You can’t call him that! What’s the difference between lemon and citron?” smiled Lars

“It’s written differently, and then he likes it. Don’t you _Sitron_?”

 _Sitron?_ the horse thought, “ _I like it_!” he whickered happly.  
  


 

Once Sitron was warm again he started to walk towards the gates of the town.  


“So, what now?” Elsa asked gently scratching behind his hear.

 

 _“You just told me to go this direction.”_ Replied Sitron confused.

  
“You know what? I trust your judgment. But please don’t go too far, I have a meeting after lunch” she explained, suddenly relaxed.

 

 _Ok I won’t consider your directions ever again,_ Sitron thought; _I have to find Hans, “Any clue?”_ but at the queen’s smile he understood this was probably a hide-and-seek thing.

 

“O _k so I think this way..”_ and he continued a bit faster walking out the town’s walls, but still at a calm rhythm;   _he had a guest_ after all.


	4. I love crazy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this took me a very long time.  
> I was actually busy and the laptop broke and it took me a while to figure out what to write in here. (these times when you know every detail of your story end included but you don't know what to witre in that particular chapter) .  
> Also this chapter is longer than the others.
> 
> Enjoy, leave a comment and have a nice day.

With meters of snow covering everything  the landscape was the same in every direction, a tree was identical to next, the path invisible, it seemed to Sitron that  the foreign country that was trying in every way to bury them in the cold: but obviously for Hans things were different, he _knew_ where he was going and what he was doing.

Sitron missed him terribly, it left him clueless that the landscape was now green and full of life, the wood an assemble of so many plants, with so many forms and colors and smells; the road solid under his clogs led him nowhere.

Elsa instead was more joyful than she could possibly imagine, a _true_ ride in the marvelous hills of Arendelle.

The aroma of flowers welcomed her and she rarely ever felt more free.

_I understand now why everyone likes this, it’s liberating..well I only miss snow and it would be perfect._

She giggled, thinking how she froze that sweet horse just few moments early. _No, maybe he wouldn’t appreciate it_.

“ _What?”_  Sitron neighed.

“Nothing,” she answered, this time she seemed to understand him. “Just I really like you and out here is so _beautiful_! ” The queen finished smiling warmly.

They weren’t in the same mood, of course.  “ _She was sad and scared just a minute ago... Moody.”_ The stallion thought and sighed. Elsa giggled again at that sound, he was actually adorable.   _Also I didn’t know horses make that noise._

 

 

 

That ginger boy past with him all the afternoons that week, he was the kindest human in the stables and he always smiled when he opened his box.

He was often moody, Sitorn could see him walking across the courtyard towards him and find a serious and penitent  expression on his face that disappeared at the very moment the boy laid his eyes on his horse.

 

Despite it seemed obvious to Sitron now, it took him a very long time to realize that Hans wasn’t actually moody, he was _sad_.  Sulkiness was a consequence.

They exercised together for months, probably was almost an year since now, Sitron could see his ginger nape from a different height;  it was a warm summer evening and Hans arrived with a rush he had never shown before.  
It wasn’t ordinary to see him at that hour of the day, it was even extremely rare that his master fixed the saddle on him –he did it a couple of time, chuckling  as the saddle was too big and sighing as they needed to wait –.

_“What’s going on?”_ Sitron asked but Hans just shushed him as he took his bridles and mounted on his back.

“We need to leave” he spurred him: after a countless times he performed exercises it was natural just to obey his master directions.

Hans brought them outside the stables, and then outside the gates and further where Sitron as far as he could recall had never been before; the air was salty, the ground hard and rocky;  and then nothing: the land ended in a sudden steep, below roaring waters whose only purpose seemed to corrode the ground till it would disappear.

Hans pushed him and Sitron run as fast as he could, he was.. they both were breathless now, the young man dismounted silently and sat on the ground, too close to the edge for Sitorn’s tastes.

He approached his master few seconds after he chilled:

“ _So what now?”_ the stallion asked  turning to watch his master right in the eyes:  Hans stared at him, his mouth open as he was still regaining air to fill his lungs.

“Fun..hmm? ..Isn’t it?” He answered between a breath and the other. His smile fading fast leaving him apparently emotionless. He then turned back to look at the immensity of the sea, silent.  
  
_“All this way and you’ll just stare at nothing .. oh and of course don’t tell me what happened”_  the stallion complained “ _bad day? Ok I got it. But please tell me something, anything”_

“Sshhh.”Hans answered and patted on the ground next to him meaning he wanted his horse to sit next to him.

“ _so close to the precipice? forget that!”_

The boy slid backwards few feet and hummed waiting for Sitron’s consense.

“ _much better”_ and Sitron sat next to him.

  
The horse was warm and comfortable against his back; Sitron was all sweetness and cuddle and Hans couldn’t understand as hard as he tried how was that possible that even growing up in that tundra of nothingness he could still be that friendly, he saw other hoses in the stables none of them had a crumb of Sitron’s amiableness, not with him at least, not that anyone in the whole kingdom had shown him a hint of friendship.

 

“You’re my only friend” the boy whispered and Sitron snuggled his muzzle against his shoulder.

  
_Kindness_ he wasn’t used to it, something in that motion tickled inside his chest up to his throat and he took him far too many seconds to realize his eyes were filling with tears.  
Looking up to the sky he tried to push them back, useless; tears wet his cheeks and before he could stop them he started to sob.  
Hans knew that the more he tried to fight that impulse the violent he would have shook and it would last for longer than it should;  he learnt to control those kind of episodes already, but sometimes life was too much and he had to hide, to be alone to be able to breathe again.  
But this time he had been too weak, he cried, his eyes burnt and he could already see his brothers noticing how red they looked, “you cried Hans?”. He shrugged, he couldn’t go back that evening, he had slept under the sky before, and it hadn’t been always during summer times, _but Sitron?_

“Do you mind if we sleep here tonight?” the boy asked in a voice so soft and broken Sitron would have jump of the cliff if he asked.

“ _Fine.”_ He neighed.

“You can find some grass here, I’m sure”.

“ _So you mean right here, right above the roaring waters and the sharp rocks?”_ Sitron took his collar between his teeth and pulled him away. “ _How about somewhere else?”_

“Fine! Fiine! Leave me.”

“ _Finally”_  the stallion sighed satisfied, thing that Hans must have found extremely hilarious since he started to laugh and stopped few minutes later with a deep sigh.

“So, you don’t want grass, we’ll find something else”.  And he pointed vaguely to the land as he leaded them nowhere in particular.

Strion ended up eating grass as they found what was probably the largest lawn in the isles in Hans’ opinion.

“They use it for..” He explained looking around, searching the answer between a flower and a leaf.

“..bees. See these small houses there? Those are hives. Bees live in there, they get out, fly on flowers and make honey. The owner of the hives then takes the honey.” He finished pleased to teach something to his horse.

“ _And you don’t want honey?”_ Sitron pointed his head to the hives.

“Oh no. I don’t know what to do. And bees hurts. I’ve also heard of people who died after being stung too many times and honestly I hope for a better end, neat at least.” He then focused on what he was doing.

“Anyway, bees sleep now but stay away from them, bugs black, yellow stripes you can’t get wrong. Well even wasps look alike but stay away from them too. Ok?”

“ _bugs? Please I’m a stallion. Nothing can hurt me.”_

 Sitron woke up before Hans the sun was rising, he slept on the ground instead of standing, to allow Hans to rest on him. His legs needed  a good ride but first to be stretched.

“ _it’s morning”_ he neighed softly. The boy opened his eyes and stretched his arms yawning.

“ _Good. You’re awake”_ Sitron stood with a jump and Hans ended lying on the ground a smile on his face, his stomach complaining, he didn’t eat the day before, but said nothing about it.

“Morning”.

They pointed in the last direction Sitron would have picked to go back to the castle. He understood why they were walking and not riding, _he doesn’t want to go back, I wouldn’t too._ And a bright idea crossed his mind. He stopped and neighed loudly.

“ _why don’t we stay here? We don’t have to..”_

“Come on.” He interrupted him. “We can’t stay here, I.. I’m a prince, I have duties”.

“ _you don’t have to. You are so s..”_

“Listen, we’ll do this more often I swear, just you and me, far away from everything, but we’ll have to go back before or later, I’m have problem now think if they find out I sleep in the wild. That would be worse.”

“ _But.. I don’t understand”_

“One day, we’ll be so far away we’ll forget everything about here, we’ll have blooming meadows and forests and streams; I swear. But not today. I’ll find a way out of here and it won’t be retreat, or running away like a coward; it’ll be much more than decent it’ll be respectable. Or else it’s like allowing them to win.”

“Do you understand that?” He sighed.

“ _I’m not sure.”_

Hans cuddled his muzzle and softly pulled him.

“Come on” he whispered.

 

 

 

 

 “Ouh a brook.” Elsa noticed as the horse stopped without a reason till that moment.

The stallion drank nonchalantly.

“Can I get down?” the blonde asked shyly.

_Of course she can’t mount, she can’t dismount._ Sitron made a mental note bending his legs to shorten the height of the jump.  
She dismounted paying all the attention she could and landed gracefully.

“It’s marvelous; thanks” she said caressing his neck. And Sitron had to admit he missed cuddles badly.

_Focus horse! You’re not here for a pretty ride in a blooming meadow, you’re looking for Hans!_

The stallion sighed and took his way again.

“Hey are we leaving already?” Elsa asked. But no answer came from the brownish horse who sniffed the ground looking for only heaven knew what.

“A walk? Fine.” She said, but that wasn’t exactly what she was thinking: _this horse is crazy ,actually so far he gave me enough proofs, why I noticed just now? He first plays the nice obedient and then runs away, he brought me this far just to drink and now leaves me on feet to ..smell the ground. Prefect only a crazy horse can stand next to me without freaking out. What was I thinking? I’ll never be able to have a normal life, to ride with Anna without this crazy horse doing something absolutely insane!_

She would never have a chance. She was mad with that crazy horse with herself. It happened to her sometimes since she was a child, since that night, emotions overwhelmed her she tried and tried to push them back to be detached but she never succeeded, the outcome now was that she was crying.

“ _What happened now?”_ Sitron asked, abandoning his imaginary trail turning towards that woman.

She gestured him to leave and pushed him away as he came closer.

“Leave. Just leave me alone, it’s fine, I’m already better” she said rubbing her eyes. “Please ..I’ll hurt you.”

The stallion stepped back as he saw a thick layer of ice around her feet and felt a chill reaching his heels.  
Then something small appeared from nowhere and moved close to his face.  
Closer and closer the bug approached to his cheek trying to save himself from a sudden change of temperature of the ground.

_Yellow, black stripes, no black, yellow stripes. A bee. So small._ Sitron observed the new guest on his cheek.  
_So nice, why Hans cared so much I stayed awa—_ Fire on his face would have been more pleasant, he felt something digging in his skin and the flames reaching his nerves.

“ _HEELP!!_ ” he neighed throwing himself on the ground.

“What the hell?!” not at all regal words slipped from Elsa’s lips. _Definitely insane._  She choose to ignore him and turned to look somewhere else; the ground attracted her, not the ice under her feet that was now retreating, bugs of any kind were flying away from her.  A lazy bee next to her had been too loud not to be noticed.

_He got stung, of course but he’s a horse._ Sighing she knew she had to do something.

“Shh. It’s fine. Don’t move.” He obeyed and she sat next his neck.

“This might hurt. Don’t move or it’ll be worse”.  She took the sting between her fingers before it got to deep in the horse skin.

“Shh. It’s nothing. It was just a bee.” Ice had never been more useful. She covered his cheek with snow, and he seemed to agree at her choice.

“ _you saved my life”_ Sitron neighed. Ice had never been more pleasant. 

She sighed again, lost in thought but still sat next to him, scratching behind his ears.

“I’m sorry I freak out. It has been a terrible week, everyone is still asking explanations for everything, I have to write at least twenty letters at day, trying to make everyone believe my magic is a good thing, and not a good enough reason to start a war. I’m so tired. And I miss Anna, she left this morning, I know. And I know it sound so stupid, because I haven’t spoke with her in years. But still I miss her. Do you understand ?”

Sitron nodded. “ _At least she’s an extrovert”._

She was surprised he nodded, he made her smile.

“I’m sorry I thought you’re crazy. You’re not normal, that for sure,  but I’m not too.” And she started to laugh.

“You looked so crazy before”. And laughed some more.

_Humans; I really have a lots of questions for you._

“We should go home now.” Elsa interrupted his thoughts.

_Thankfully Anna isn’t home, if she sees I cried she wouldn’t listen, she would never believe nothing happened, heaven knows who she would blame --and **punch--** this time._


	5. Sunset

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took me a lifetime to update. I was a little busy and also kida of lost intrest in Frozen for a while. ..I know sometimes life just happens to you.  
> Anyway I didn't foreseen this chapter, (spoiler there's Hans pov here) and I never thought i'd write anything from his prospective, but here it is and probably there'll be another one later.
> 
> hopefully I'll update next chapter/chapters in the next few weeks.
> 
> Let me know what you think !

  
They rode back to the castle of Arendelle. Sitron didn't even noticed he was going back till he saw the orange lights coloring the streets and heard and smelled the town preparing for the night.  
  
The sky was slowly taking a dark-purple shade.  
  
Elsa was tired, but couldn't be more satisfied with her horse. She was both proud of herself and the stallion.  
"I still don't know how to call him" she thought, they spent very good time together during the day but still she knew it wasn't enough to give him a name that reflected his being, "except Crazy, or Fury, but he wouldn't like either of these name"; no a rushed name wouldn't give him justice.  
She resolved by giving them some more time, after she knwe him properly the name would have come by itself.  
"For now her majesty's horse would be enough" she smiled.  
  
Oh.. back to the stables already? Sitron asked; but knew it was the only place to go at that time of the day. He was glad he had finally a chance to leave the stables and take a proper walk. Except for bees accidents he had a lovely day. One of those he thought he would have never have again.  
  
The master of horses greeted the Queen's arrival with a big noisy laugh.  
More relived that actually entrateined. The horse run away with her Majesty on his back that morning, she froze him in return but before the man could reach her to offer any help they dissapared again.  
Everyone that worked in the castle told him he had nothing to worry about. Nor just she would be fine and well, but also he wouldn't be fired nor blamed for the horse's behavior.  
Observing the always-so-elegant Queen of Arendelle, the terrifing Ice Queen, riding the horse back to the stables with messed hair and a dirty gown had shown him exactly what she was: a young girl. Still she was not only Arendelle's Ruler she was the most powerful woman in the world too. And yet all the old man could see was a young girl who spent her day having fun.  
  
"I see you had a good ride Your Majesty. I was starting to worry"  
"A marvelous one Simon. I'm sorry I'm late, he..we like to take our time." Elsa answered to the kind master of horses.  
"The Queen is never late, your Majesty. Everyone else is early" He smiled holding the bridle and leading the horse to his box. Fresh hay already waiting for him.  
Elsa fell asleep imediatly that night, she was exausted.

She had the morning free of official appointment so she came back to the stables.  
Walikng past the horses she realized thay were still afraid of her.  
Elsa thought that it was only a matter of time and that stallions couldn't stand her because they smelled her fear. No, she wasn't afriad anymore; not of horses at least.

There she was, again in front of the brownish-yellow horse who was the only one happy to see her.

 

 

* * *

 

 

_Shit_. Everything smelled like shit. The reek following him everywhere he went, even outside the stables, back in his cell he couldn't get it away.  
The only pro he could find in that tortue for his nose was that as long as he wasn't used to smell shit it couldn't be long since he got arrested.  
Every day just as terrible as the day before: he got up with the sun, spent the day digging in an endless turd and as the sun sat he went back to his prison cell.  
Hans hated going to sleep because it meant that the night would have passed without him noticing, always too tired to see his train of thoughts reach the station.  
  
Work and nothing else, the same shit everyday, it was turining him into a beast, it was enough to drive anyone mad, but not him; he knew he was lucky to avoid the rope.  
The Southern Isles sent their deepest apologies to Arendelle threw him in the darkest corner of the islands and, voilà everyone had it's happy ending.  
If the former prince had only tried to seduce the Arendalle's princess to kill the queen noone would have spare him a public execution. For his father's woe instead the whole story was a mess and Elsa's crazy magic that almost destroied her kingdom terrified every nation now; in case she turned out to be too dangerous or too crazy he might have been useful.

Shaking his head he focused back on the shovel in his hands, they only reason he was still alive he saw it in his mother's broken lip and bruised cheek when she hugged him goodbye. He never felt more miserable.  
Lars walked him to the gates; black bags under his eyes, just told him to take care of himself.

A horse neighed few feet away and Hans couldn't care less. He looked for Sitron in the stables finding nothing, remembering just after that he was escorted back to the Southern Isles by that damn french dignitary: no one took his horse. Somewhere in him Hans was glad Sitron was left behind. His brothers would have probably butchered him with the excuse Hans didn't need him anymore. Still Hans missed his only friend.  
  
Before he could even notice the sun was already setting.  
These were the best minutes of the day, first he could stop working and then even if had never been particualry fond of sunsets, it reminded him of the good old days when he trained in the navy. The sun lowing under the horizon, a salty breeze caressing his hair, the only time when he could smell something different, something beautiful, the sea.  
Back in the uncortable bed of his new room he ate his dried piece of bread.  
He was tired, always so tired somenight he hadn't the strenghs to finish his insufficient meal.  
Closing his eyes Hans was almost completely asleep when he heard a shrill squawk that woke him. A rat was standing hesitant few steps away from his bowl.  
He could hear his father.., the king's words "Westergaards are lions, not mice", from another lifetime and "You're digusting, nothing but a rat", from a much more recent time.  
Maybe he was right, Hans had never been a part of the family after all, maybe he belonged there in the dark, forgotten, like he never existed.

Clicking his tounge on his palate he threw a piece of bread to the mouse.  
"Hopefully you carry the palgue" he wispered bitterly.


End file.
